Union Leadership and Corporate Management
The difference between the two is minimal. The reason for that is very simple. A large organization (business or union or country) is always going to be led by ambitious people. Often ambitious people will spout different reasons for what they do but inside there is not 5ยข worth of difference.
The United Auto Workers collected 3% less dues than they did a year ago and Gettelfinger still gets a raise. When most businesses lose money people start making less. The exceptions are government employees and paid union officers (and business executives.)
The United Auto Workers collected 3% less dues than they did a year ago and Gettelfinger still gets a raise. When most businesses lose money people start making less. The exceptions are government employees and paid union officers (and business executives.)
posted by shoprat at 9:22 PM
10 Comments:
there really is no difference in corporate management and union leadership. unions are pretty much just another business - they have employees to pay and a corporate management structure to maintain.
I'll be the contrarian here (as usual, LOL). I do see a major difference ... where the top brass in a corporation have to have the basic agreement of the majority of shareholders ... the top brass in a union do not worry about their captive members. I've always thought that I'll have (a little more) respect for unions when union employees and inion management get treated the same as members - same raises, same strike pay, same rules. Until then, it's a giant con game with enough of the thug element at the top of the union and all it's branches to make sure they control the members (rather than vice-versa).
Not only do corporate officers have to keep the shareholders happy, they have the SEC as well as lots of other government agencies regulating them ... whereas unions have no regulating (as long as they keep using your dues to keep their budies in office).
Both, however, (or all three if you include government) are proof that power corrupts.
First, I work for the UAW. So Ron G. got a 3% raise. What about all the big wigs at the car corporations who got millions in bonuses, stocks etc. while their companies are floundering. Labor deserves to be paid as well as the white collar people and that includes Gettlefinger.
anonymous
I too am a member of the UAW and not particularly proud of it. My great-father was involved in the founding of the UAW at Buick City and when he died he was ashamed of what it had become.
You are right to complain about corporate leadership but what you pointed out simply proves that union and corporate leadership are simply cut out of the same material by the same mold.
I look at both sides and say "A pox on both thine houses."
Shop, I don't want to start a flame in your comment's but, Labor deserves to be paid as well as the white collar people and that includes Gettlefinger. this I don't agree with. The UAW produces no product, their only source of revenue is an extortion racket. I'm not defending corporate overcompensation either.
Hi Shoprat.
I can't be very bright here. I have to admit to ignorance on this subject. All I really know is pretty basic; that Unions have a history of being corrupt, but so do many corporations. That's really not enough for me to make an intelligent statement. Dang, it's not easy to admit to being ignorant! :)
At one time in our nation's history unions had a relevant and viable place in corporate history. They no longer hold this place nor deserve the respect once held. Their management/boards are no less venal than the corporations they fight and excoriate.
BZ
Union personnel are rapidly being replaced by robots in Tennessee and other right-to-work states, and will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history as countless laws have been passed protecting the worker and counteless lawyers have sprung up to defend same.
Good riddance. May the Hoffa's of the world enjoy their cardgames with Hitler.
Thanks for the comments.
Yes Unions are inexaggerably corrupt and have lost sight of their once semi-noble purpose. It might be argued that they fill a real need but there has to be better way to do it. One that is responsive to the workers' needs and not the needs of the self-important crooks that lead the unions.
I'm not happy with either the Unions or with management. Both are to blame for the current situation with the automotive industry.
And yes, I'm a UAW member.
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